Personalizing a mobile device is not just about changing wallpaper, it's about creating a more comfortable environment. When you get a call, it's much more convenient and enjoyable to see your phone's face on the screen. Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners often look for ways to make the call list more informative and visually understandable. The process of installing avatars in the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS has its own characteristics that distinguish it from standard Android.
There are several ways to assign an image to a specific phone number: you can use a finished photo from the gallery, take a picture right at the time of creating a contact, or even download an image from a social network if the profile is attached. It is important to understand that the quality of the display depends on the resolution of the source file and the settings of the screen of your device. We will analyze all available methods so that you can choose the most convenient one for yourself.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the algorithm for different versions of firmware, how to crop your face properly so that your face doesn’t crop, and what to do if the photo isn’t saved, and how to sync your Google account so that you can see your avatars on other devices or after resetting your settings.
Image Preparation and Format Requirements
Before you start installing, make sure your image meets basic technical requirements. Although modern Xiaomi smartphones automatically process most files, using optimal parameters guarantees better display quality.
The Android system that runs MIUI supports popular graphics formats, but avatars are best suited for files without the "noise" in the background, and if the photo is too dark or low resolution, the system may suggest improving it or refuse to install it.
- 📸 Use images in format JPG or PNG Maximum compatibility with the system gallery.
- 📐 The optimal resolution of the avatar is from 500x500 pixels so that no artifacts appear when zooming in.
- 🎨 Contrast photos are better perceived by the system when automatically identifying a face for framing.
If you plan to add photos for a large number of contacts, it makes sense to prepare a folder with edited pictures in advance, which will save time during the setup process of the phone book. Remember that too heavy files in RAW format are better to convert pre-convert.
⚠️ WARNING: When using photos with watermarks or text, make sure they don’t overshadow the contact name in the call list, as the system can automatically crop the edges of the image.
Add a photo from the gallery when creating a new contact
The most common scenario is adding a new number with a simultaneous installation of an avatar, which allows you to immediately personalize the recording without returning to it later. The algorithm of actions in the applications Contacts or Phone from Xiaomi is almost identical.
First, you need to open the call app and go to create a new record. In MIUI, the add button is usually located in the lower right corner or as a "+" icon at the top of the screen. After entering the name and phone number, the system will suggest adding additional data, including a photo.
☑️ Creating contact with a photo
Click on the round camera icon or the human silhouette at the top of the contact creation screen. The image source selection menu will open, and you will be asked to take a picture or select a file from the device's memory.
Once you select the file, the framing editor will open, which is an important step, because that's where the final image is generated, which your interlocutors or you will see when you call in, and move the frame to highlight the face, and confirm the action.
- 🖼️ Click on the gallery icon in the source selection menu to open the device albums.
- ✂️ Use two-finger zoom to zoom in or out of the image in the framing editor.
- 💾 Click the “Ready” or “Save” button to record changes in the contact database.
The system will automatically apply a compression filter to make the photo take up less space, and visually, the contact list may look a little different than the gallery, due to rounding of the angles and the use of system masks.
How to add or change a photo for an existing number
Often, there is a situation where the contact is already saved, but the avatar is missing or needs to be replaced. Editing an existing record in Xiaomi is also easy, if you know where to look for the desired button.
Open the Contacts app and find the person in the list. Click on the name to open the subscriber card. At the top of the screen, where the name plug usually appears, there should be an edit button or a pencil icon.
Click on Edit. In edit mode, you can add an image again. If you already have a photo but want to change it, the procedure is similar to adding a new one: click on the current avatar and select the source of the new image.
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If you don’t see the edit button right away, try clicking on the three dots in the top right corner of the contact card screen – the “Change” option is often hidden in the drop-down menus.
When you select a new photo from the gallery, remember to save the changes. In some versions of HyperOS, the changes are automatically applied, but in the classic MIUI you need to press the Save button (check in the corner of the screen).
⚠️ Note: When you replace a photo, the old image is deleted from the contact memory, but may remain in the device gallery if you did not manually delete the original file.
And the important thing to note is that the changes are instantaneous, and if you call that person right after you edit, the call screen will show a new photo, which is useful for updating the data, for example, if the person has changed their image.
Create a picture through the camera directly in contacts
The built-in feature of creating a picture allows you not to search for a photo in the gallery, but to make it “here and now.” This is especially true when meeting a person when you just exchanged numbers. The camera in the Xiaomi contact app has a simplified interface.
When you select an image source, select the camera option. The screen of your smartphone will turn into a viewfinder. Point the lens at the person you're talking to and take a picture. The system will immediately suggest framing the image you're looking at.
This is a good technique for speed, but it has its drawbacks: photo quality may be lower than with the main camera with advanced settings, because the contact app uses basic shooting algorithms, and indoor lighting may be insufficient.
- 🤳 Use a front-facing camera for selfie avatars if you add contact to yourself or take photos in good conditions.
- ☀️ Try to take a picture in good lighting so that the face is clearly visible on the small screen of the smartphone.
- 🔄 If necessary, do a few takes and choose the best option in the framing process.
Once you've created the image, you'll go to the standard crop editor, and you can adjust the composition of the frame, and make sure that the face is in the center of the circle, because the corners will be cut when you're in the list.
Why does the camera in contacts shoot worse than the main one?
Synchronization of avatars through Google account
One of the key features of the Android ecosystem is data synchronization, and if you want your photos of contacts to be displayed on a tablet, another phone, or after you reinstall the system, you need to set up sync correctly. At Xiaomi, this is done through your Google account settings.
Make sure that your contacts are stored in your Google account, not in your phone’s memory or in your phone’s memory. SIM-When you create or edit a contact at the top of the screen, there is a "Save to" field.
To check your sync settings, go to Settings → Accounts and Sync → Google. Make sure the switch opposite Contacts is activated. If sync is enabled, your avatars will automatically upload to the Google Contacts cloud.
| Parameter | Phone memory | Google account | SIM-map |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photo preservation | Yes. | Yes. | No. |
| Synchronization | No (only locally) | Automatically. | No. |
| Risk of loss | High (on discharge) | Low (cloud) | Medium (physical wear and tear) |
| Contact limit | Depends on memory. | Up to 50,000. | Limited (250-500) |
Cloud sync is the most reliable way to store information, and even if you lose a Redmi or POCO smartphone, all photos and numbers will automatically be restored when you log in to your account on a new device.
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Keeping your contacts with your photos in your Google account guarantees they can be restored on any Android device after authorization, as opposed to local storage in your phone’s memory.
Solution: Why not add or not see a photo
Xiaomi users sometimes have problems installing avatars, and the photo may not be saved, displayed in black square, or disappear after a reboot, most often due to access rights or file format.
The first thing to check is the permissions of the application. Android is very strict about accessing the file system. If the Contacts or Phone app doesn't have the right to read memory, it won't be able to download the image for the avatar.
Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Find Contacts (or Phone if you edit through it) in the list. Click on Permissions and make sure that access to Photo and Video or Memory is allowed.
- 🔒 Check your energy saving settings: Aggressive battery optimization can block background avatar synchronization.
- 🗑️ Clear the cache of the contact app: Settings → Annexes → Contacts → Memory. → Clear the cache (data will not be deleted).
- 📂 Make sure the original photo is undamaged and opens in the gallery without errors.
⚠️ Note: If you use a third-party theme, it may conflict with the standard display of avatars. Try switching to the standard theme for verification.
The problem may also be the image format, some modern formats, such as: HEIC (The one used on the iPhone may not be directly supported. JPG before adding.